Weld County poll center rocking student voters

The new Weld County voting center system already has critics at the University of Northern Colorado.

In past years, students could vote on campus at the University Center. This year the closest poll will be at Bonell Good Samaritan Community, 708 22nd St. The change is part of a countywide switch to voting centers from voting precincts.

Voters used to be tied to specific precincts depending on where they lived. Under the new system, Weld residents can vote at any voting center in the county. UNC used to host one of the 103

precincts that were consolidated into 23 voting centers.

UNC student body president Wesley Song said many of the students

are voting for the first time and hurrying between classes, Song said, and they won’t vote if it is inconvenient.

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He said the loss of an on-campus voting site would keep students who would otherwise vote from casting ballots and suggested Referendums C and D could have something to do with the decision not to give the university a voting center. If the referendums pass, part of the increased revenue would support higher education. Song said he didn’t want to accuse anyone of ulterior motives without proof.

“I will just say that the timing is very, very curious,” Song said.

Weld County Clerk and Recorder Steve Moreno said he wasn’t sure how anyone could assume bias because the referendums would affect all Coloradans. He said the decision had more to do with voter turnout at the university in years following presidential elections. In 1997, the UNC site recorded a 4 percent turnout and a 7 percent turnout in 2001.

Moreno said he tried to get as many people to vote as possible, and the closest voting center was still convenient for students.

“There’s one two blocks away,” he said. “Most students walk more than two blocks on campus.”

Song said most students don’t usually cross 8th Avenue and aren’t familiar with Bonell.

“You can probably walk around campus and ask students, ‘Where is Bonell?’ and the majority probably couldn’t tell you,” he said.

He introduced a resolution that passed unanimously at Wednesday night’s student council meeting demanding Moreno add a voting center on the UNC campus.

Moreno said it was too late to change but welcomed the attention voting was receiving on campus.